Bottle tiering apparatus



0t.27,1936. F, E. BAKER y 2,058,397

BOTTLE TIERING APPARATUS Filed March 13, 1955 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 a2 Jl .3o -1 29 a "z l 27 IMI 27 Kswr l MAY//V//mzrl/W/ l i i ze I: 26 .15 v 1a ot.27, 1936. F E BAKER 2,058,397

BOTTLE' TIERING APPARATUS WAUORNEX oct. 27, 1936. F E BAKER 2,058,391

BOTTLE TIERING APPARTUS Filed March l5, 1935 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 INVENTOR. JM C. 6L@ BY ATTORNEY` Patented Oct. 27, 1936 BOTTLE TIERING APPARATUS Forest E. Baker, South Charleston, W. Va., as-

signor to Owens-Illinois corporation of Ohio Application March 13,

11 Claims.

The present invention relates to improvements in apparatus for transferring and tiering bottles and the like articles and is particularly concerned with apparatus for facilitating the transfer of a tier of bottles from the discharge end of a glassware annealing leer direct to the position it will nally occupy in a freight car or truck during shipment.

Ordinarily, bottles or similar articles which are to be shipped in bulk are piled in tiers in a freight car or truck after having been conveyed from the leer to the car in boxes, small trucks, etc. Such procedure involves considerable, and in fact unnecessary, handling of the bottles and frequently results in excessive breakage or chipping thereof. l

An object of the present invention is to avoid the above noted objections and provide a simple means whereby the bottles may be arranged in a tier on a portable carrier or rack at the time they are removed from and sorted at the discharge end of the annealing leer and on said carrier transferred in tier form to a freight car or truck and properly positioned therein. c

Another object is the provision of a portable apparatus assuming the form of a wheeled rack on which the bottles are piled in tier format the leer, this rack being adapted for ready removal from supporting engagement with a tier of bottles after proper positioning thereof in a car or truck. Y y A further object of the invention is the provision of means whereby an apparatus of the above character may be adjusted to accommodate bottles or other similar articles of different diameters.

Other objects will be in part apparent and in part pointed out hereinafter.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is an end elevational view of tiering apparatus.

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary front elevational View of one lower corner of the apparatus.

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary side elevational view showing one of the two motors for elevating the bottle rack.

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary sectional elevational View taken substantially along the line IV-IV of Fig. 1.

Fig. 5 is a front elevational view of the tiering apparatus or rack.

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary rear elevational. sectional view of the apparatus taken substantially along the line VI-VI of Fig. 1.

4o the bottle Glass Company, a

1935, Serial No. 10,839

Fig. 7 is a fragmentary detail view showing the Y pump and valves associated therewith.

Fig. 8 is a detail sectional elevational view of one of the detents employed in locking certain of the casters in position.

The illustrated embodiment ofthe invention' includes a rack carrier I0 which consists of a rectangular horizontal base Il, mounted on casters I2 and a superstructure made up of inclined'bars I3. The lower ends of these bars are suitably anchored to the front and rear longitudinal side members of the base II and have their upper ends secured together and to a top bar I3a in any approved fashion. Anti-friction rollers I4 are provided at theopposite ends of the base II and in proximity to the upper ends of the inclined bars I3, for engagement with the side walls of a freight carv or truck during movement of the apparatus in the latter as will be apparent hereinafter. For the greater part, the structure consists-of angle iron bars. Fourl casters I2 support the apparatus, each of the casters being mounted upon'a vertical hinge pin l5 and adapted at times to be held against movement about said pin by a spring pressed detentv I6. It willthus be seen that these casters may be permitted to move about their pivots and thereby facilitate steering ofthe apparatus.

The bottle rack II,'on which the bottles,`or other containers are stacked in tier form and transported to the freight car or the like, is mounted on the carrier in such fashion` that it m-ay occupy an inclined position spaced above the floor and thereby support the bottles or other containers while they are being conveyed to the car, or an uprightA position (see dotted lineshowing in Fig. 1) in which the bottles are placedyin approximately their final position for shipment. The rack includes a rectangular framemade' up of horizontal upper and lower bars I8 and I9 respectively, connected by end bars 20 and a series of intermediate cross bars 2|. Boards I'Ia suitably attached to the frame, assist in supporting bottles on the rack. A longitudinal series of botle supporting fingers 22 is arrangedM-along the lower margin of the lower bar I9, said fingers being adjustably connected tothe latter by bolts 23 or the like fasteners, which extend through slots 24in said lower bar. Thus, the fingers may .be spaced apart to accommodate bottles and jars completely removedkif necessary. c y Attached to each end barf20 is a shiftable nger carrierr25 supporting a series of lingers I2li.A

Each linger carrier V25 is slidingly connected to the T of diiferentndiameters, or certain of the lingers f 34 to the corresponding iinger carrier 25. Thus,

it is evident that by withdrawing the two detents 29 and moving the end levers 39 upwardly, the linger carriers 25 may be moved downwardly to disengage the ngers 26 from bottles or theV like, as will be apparent presently.

Connection between the bottle rack and carrier I9 whereby the former may be swung between upright and inclined positions and moved vertically while in an upright position, may be obtainedV in the following manner. Each ofthe intermediate cross members 2| adjacent its lower end, carries -a slotted arm 35,5the slot 36 therein extending parallel with the length ofthe member and accommodating one end of a horizontal hinge pin 31 mounted in a bracket V38 attached to the forward margin of the base The end members 2|) are connected to the base llthrough a pair of fluid piston motors 39, which are employed to control the movements of the bottle rack on the carrier I0. Specifically, each of these units includes a bracket 40 connecting the corresponding end cross member 2|] and the piston rod 4| of the motor 39 Yand ar'lnger 42 on the lower end of the motor cylinderf43 connected by means of a hinge pin 44 and bracket 45 to the base These piston motors 39 are connected through pipes 46 and 41 (Figs. 1 and 5) to the lower end Vof a pump 48; there being a check'valve 49 in the reservoir through the check valve and supplied to the lower endsofthe motors 39 by way of the check valve 49 andpip'es 41 and 46. Thus, the bottle rack may bel moved upwardly on the carrier -Il). A latch v58 pivoted to the upper portionV of the bottle rack is adaptedA to take over the upper rmargin of the cross bar ls'which connects the upperends of the pairs of inclinedbars |3. p

In operation, the apparatus will'be placed in proximity to the discharge ordelivery end of an annealing leer, the bottle rack" being spaced Vabove the floor and occupying lan inclined position in which it rests in part on lthe inclined bars I3 as shown in Fig. 1. y The bottles are placed thereon asindicated in Figs.l2 and 5, the lower horizontal row being supported on the fingersy 22 and the bottles at each end of the tier being held in proper position bythe fingers 26on the finger carriers 25. Upon-completion of the tiering operation,V the apparatus isrolled into a freight car or the like, at which time; the'detents I6 are released to secure the Yrear casters |2 inalignment with the iront casters; Thereupon-the apparatus is pushed into proximityto one end of the ca'r`orV` the tier whichl has been'- previously vposi- Within the' pump 48 isl tioned. The latch 58 is then released and the entire bottle rack shifted forwardly about the hinge pins 31 and 44 to an upright position as indicated by dotted lines in Fig. 1. The valve 54 isthen opened, -allowing the oil in the lower end of the motors 39 to return to the reservoir 52. This operation lowers the entire rack (Fig. 2) and brings the bottles or other articles into engagement with the floor of the car. Continued downward movement of this rack disengages the ngers 22 from the bottles. The detents 29 are then withdrawn from engagement with the iinger carriers 25 and the hand levers 30 operated to move said nger carriers downwardly a short distance relative to the end members 2|). This operationresults in movement of certain of the bottles into engagement with the side walls of the car and'separation of the ngers 2G from said bottles. At this point, the entire apparatus may be backed away from the tier of bottles, leaving theflatter in the desired position.

Modications may be resorted to Within the spirit and scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. Apparatus of the character described comprising a wheeled carrier, an inclined support rising' from said carrier, a bottle rack, means providing pivotal and sliding connection between jlower portions'of the rack and the carrier in proximity to the lower end'of the inclined support, a longitudinal series of bottle supporting ngersrarranged along the lower margin of the rack, a series of bottle supporting ngers arranged at each end of the rack and extending upwardly in a direction at right angles to the other Series of ngers, means whereby a predetermined degree of downward movement of Ythe rack while in a Vertical position brings the bottles along the lower margin of vthe rack into engagement with a stationary horizontal support and separates the lower series of fingers from the bottles andr means for moving the other series of fingers downwardly out of supporting engagement with the bottles at the opposite endsr of the tier.

2. Apparatus of thecharacter described comprising awheeled carrier, an inclined support rising from said carrier, a bottle rack,Y means providing r'pivotal and sliding connection between lower portions of the rack and the carrier in proximityto the lower Vend of the inclined support, a longitudinal series of bottle supporting ngers arranged along the lower margin of the rack, a series of bottle supporting lingers arranged at each end-of the rack and extending upwardly in a direction at right angles to the Yother series of ngers, means whereby a predetermined degreefof downward'movement of the rack while in a vertical position brings the Ybottles .alongthe lower margin of the rack into engagement with a stationary horizontal sup` port and separates the lower series of fingers from the bottles, means for moving the, other series of fingers Adownwardly out of supporting lingers arranged along the lower margin of the rack, a series of bottle supporting fingers arranged at each end of the rack and extending in a direction at right angles to theother series of ngers, means whereby a predetermined degree of downward movement of the rack while in a vertical position brings the bottles along the lower margin of the rack into engagement with a stationary horizontal support and separates the lower series of fingers from the bottles, means for moving the other series of fingers downwardly out of supporting engagement with the bottles at the opposite ends of the tier, means including fluid operated piston motors for imparting upward movement of the rack relative to the carrier and separate means for separably connecting the upper portions of the bottle rack and inclined support to secure the former against premature downward movement.

4. In a portable bottle tiering apparatus, the combination of a wheeled carrier including an inclined rack support, a bottle rack, pin and slot connectors securing adjacent lower portions of the rack and support together and providing for swinging and substantially vertical sliding movement of the rack relative to the support, a series of bottle supporting ngers extending along the lower and side margins of the rack and means for effecting and regulably controlling movement of the rack relative to the support to thereby remove the fingers along the lower margin of the rack from supporting engagement with the bottles.

5. In a portable bottle tiering apparatus, the combination of a wheeled carrier including an inclined rack support, a bottle rack, pin and slot connectors securing adjacent lower portions of the rack and support together and providing for swinging and substantially vertical sliding movement of the rack relative to the support, a series of bottle supporting ngers extending along the lower and side margins of the rack, means providing pivotal and sliding connection between the lower portions of the rack and support, said means including a pair of piston motors each comprising a cylinder and a piston rod, a horizontal pivot pin connecting each motor cylinder to the carrier, a bracket connecting the piston rod of each motor to the bottle rack, means for operating the motors to move the rack upwardly relative to the support and means whereby the motors may be employed to regulably control the speed of downward movement of the rack under its own weight.

6. In a portable bottle tiering apparatus, the combination of a wheeled carrier including an inclined rack support, a bottle rack, pin and slot connectors securing adjacent lower portions of the rack and support together and providing for swinging and substantially vertical sliding movement of the rack relative to the support, a series of bottle supporting fingers extending along the lower and side margins of the rack, means providing pivotal and sliding connection between the lower portions of the rack and support, said means including a pair of piston motors each comprising a cylinder and a piston rod, a hori- Zontal pivot pin connecting each motor cylinder to the carrier, a bracket connecting the piston rod of each motor to the bottle rack, means for operating the motors to move the rack upwardly relative to the support, means whereby the motors may be employed to regulably control downward movement of the rack under its own weight and means whereby the series of bottle supportl `ing/fingers alongthe end margins of the rack may be moved lengthwise of .said end margins lrelative to the otherngers.

7. Apparatus of the character described, comprising a wheeled carrier, an inclined bottle rack z support rising therefrom,.a bottle rackslidingly and pivotally connected to the inclined support, a series of bottle supporting lingers arranged along the lower and side margins of the rack, said rack adapted to occupy an inclined position in engagement with the support during stacking of a tier of bottles thereon and positioned upright preparatory to releasing the tier of bottles and mechanism for imparting movement to the rack relative to said support, and means for effecting downward movement of the rack while in an upright position and thereby separate the fingers at the lower margin of the rack from the bottles.

8. Apparatus of the character described, comprising a wheeled carrier, an inclined bottle rack support rising therefrom, a bottle rack slidingly and pivotally connected to the inclined support, a series of bottle supporting fingers arranged along the lower and end margins of the rack, said rack adapted to occupy an inclined position in engagement with the support during stacking of a tier of bottles thereon and positioned upright preparatory to releasing the tier of bottles and pneumatic means for moving the rack upwardly relative to said support, said pneumatic means operating to cushion and regulably control the speed of downward movement of the rack and a tier of bottles thereon relative to said support.

9. Apparatus of the characted described, comprising a wheeled carrier, an inclined bottle rack support rising therefrom, a bottle rack slidingly and pivotally connected to the inclined support, a series of bottle supporting fingers arranged along the lower and end margins of the rack, said rack adapted to occupy an inclined position in engagement with the support during stacking of a tier of bottles thereon and positioned upright preparatory to releasing the tier of bottles, mechanism for imparting movement to the rack relative to said support and means for moving the series of fingers at the end margins in the direction of the length of said margins independently of the remaining portion of the. rack.

10. Apparatus of the character described, comprising a wheeled carrier, an inclined bottle rack support rising therefrom, a bottle rack slidingly and pivotally connected to the inclined support, a series of bottle supporting iingers arranged along the lower and end margins of the rack, said rack adapted to occupy an inclined position in engagement with the support during stacking of a tier of bottles thereon and positioned upright preparatory to releasing the tier of bottles, pneumatic means for moving the rack upwardly relative to said support, said pneumatic means operating to cushion and regularly controlv the speed of downward movement of the rack and a tier of bottles thereon relative to said support and means for moving series of ngers at the end margins in the direction of the length of said margins independently of the remaining portion of the. rack. f

11. Apparatus of the character described, comprising a wheeled carrier, an inclined bottle rack support rising therefrom, a bottle rack slidingly and pivotally connected to the inclined support,V

said rack adapted to occupy an inclined position in. engagement with the support during stacking of a tier of bottles thereon and positioned upright preparatory to releasing the tier of bottles and mechanism for imparting movement to the rack relative to said support, slide bars carrying the bottle supporting ngersrat the end margins of` the rack, means slidingly connecting the bars to the rack proper and manually controlled means for effecting movement of the bars in the direction of their length.

Y FOREST E. BAKER. 

